Now we can dare to dream.
This was the night when England’s World Cup campaign really came alive as they produced a sensational performance to get us all excited. Gareth Southgate got every big call right while Jude Bellingham produced a career-defining man-of-the-match display to underline his potential as a future England captain.
Harry Kane got off the mark with his first goal of the tournament and Phil Foden provided two assists as England’s new generation came of age on the biggest stage. Kane is now just one goal short of Wayne Rooney ’s England goal record while Jordan Henderson and Bukayo Saka were also on target to almost underline the perfect blend of youth and experience in this squad.
This felt like a throwback to the heady days of summer in 2018 when England reached the World Cup semi-finals. And last year when they went agonisingly close before suffering heartbreak in the Euros final. Now, they have a wonderful momentum in the desert of Doha which left the travelling England fans singing “Southgate - you’re the one” and “football’s coming home”.
We always get hopelessly carried away and France - led by arguably the best striker on the planet in Kylian Mbappe - loom large in Saturday’s quarter-final. It’s only the world champions up next. But England have their own special talent in Bellingham, who dominated, changed the face of the game and proved why he is the most exciting midfield talent in Europe.
How good is Jude Bellingham going to be? Have your say here.
There were shades of Paul Gascoigne at Italia 90 about Bellingham’s display as he had the audacity to try everything and make incredible runs; we have a world class player in the making. You can certainly bet France will be fearing Bellingham after this because he was far too good, far too strong and far too dominant for Senegal.
It was by no means a walkover - anything but - and the small pocket of Senegal fans never gave up as their non-stop drum beat brought a wonderful African flavour to the desert. Senegal started well and there was a horrible 10-minute spell when Harry Maguire misplaced passes, Ismaila Sarr blasted over from a great chance and England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford then made a sensational one-handed save to deny Senegal forward Boulaye Dia.
However, the mark of a great player is one who steps up, grabs by the scruff of the neck and completely changes it. That is exactly what Bellingham did. If you had any doubts about his quality and his potential, then he showed on the biggest stage just what he is about.
It is easy to forget that Bellingham is just 19. He looks and plays with a maturity way beyond his years and it was the Borussia Dortmund teenager who turned this game on its head after 39 minutes. Bellingham drove forward from midfield, darted over to the left and then looked up to provide an inch-perfect pull-back for Henderson.
Liverpool captain Henderson, 32, then stroked home from 15 yards for just his third goal in 73 caps, but this one was priceless as it changed the course of the match.
Bellingham was even more important for the second goal in first half injury time. He won the ball on the edge of the box, drove forward with such power that he was unstoppable. Foden’s clever lay-off found Kane and the England captain smashed the ball past Chelsea ’s Senegal 'keeper Edouard Mendy.
Now, England were in control and the incredible army of travelling fans deep in the desert wastelands could enjoy their night, safe in the knowledge they had one foot in the quarter finals. It got even better for England after 57 minutes. Kane won the ball and started the move, Foden’s cross picked out Saka and his clever, improvised finish beat Mendy and the ball nestled perfectly in the net.
England won in style and they have given us all a new hope and momentum to believe anything is possible. Even against France.
